During the 2016 postseason, Le’Veon Bell tied Jerome Harrison for the fifth most points ever scored in a game by a running back with a stunning 776 points. So impressed by this, I did my homework and found the 13 other times a running back had broken 700 fantasy points. Yeah, I’m good like that.
Well, this time, I wanted to look into the greatest performances by a wide receiver. In this case, here is a list of all the wideouts who have crashed the 600-point barrier. Note: If their name is highlighted in RED, it means they weren’t in a actual game, so no one actually benefitted from their record performance. Still, we like to give them credit where credit is due.
#16 Andre Johnson | Week 11, 2012 Team: Don Vozzola Receiving: 14 catches, 273 yards Touchdowns: one Fantasy Points: 578 | Adjusted Fantasy Points: 606
The Texans star receiver seemed to be on the down slope of a brilliant career, after struggling trough a variety of injuries the previous two seasons. This explained why a guy typically taken in round one, fell to Don in round two of the 2012 draft. Unfortunately for the senior Vozzola, through nine weeks, it proved to be a bad selection, as Johnson produced just two 100-yard games and two scores.
However, Don entered week 11 riding a 5-game slide and was desperate for a big game from his big name star. Fortunately for him, the Texans engaged in a high scoring battle with the Jaguars, that would last until the final two minutes of overtime. When it was over, Houston pulled out a 43-37 win, while Johnson was targeted 19 times in the game.
He had 74 yards after just the opening drive and ended the game with a 45-yard touchdown. When it was all said and done, the former Miami Hurricane receiver had 14 catches, 273 yards and that one score. While he didn’t break 600 officially in that game, if we scored the games like we do now, he would have hit 606 points.
As for Don, the massive amount of points weren’t enough to end what would become a six-game losing streak, as he still fell to Bob, 1,870-1,366.
#15 Alshon Jeffery | Week 13, 2013 Team: Colby Hall Receiving: 12 catches, 249 yards Rushing: 1 carry, 0 yards Touchdowns: two Fantasy Points: 592 | Adjusted Fantasy Points: 618
First, I have to correct a point I’ve been getting wrong for a long time now. I’ve stated many times that Alshon Jeffery was drafted as a rookie by Eric in the 15th round of the 2012 draft, redshirted and then kept again, but was cut early in 2013. That’s all correct. However, I’ve always said that Colby picked him up. That’s wrong. It was actually Bob who grabbed him in week four after Jeffery scored 348 points. Just two weeks later, the Bears receivers scored 498 points. That’s when Bob showed his balls and traded Jeffery away in week seven, as part of a five-player deal. That’s how Jeffery ended up on Colby’s team.
Anyhow, while Jeffery was proving to be a little hit-and-miss, when he hit, he hit home runs, such as the case of week 13. In the season’s final regular season game, Colby was 7-5 and battling Griff for that four-seed. He just so happened to be playing Griff. By then Jeffery was a full-time starter, along side his teammate Brandon Marshall (it was just the second time in league history a team started two receivers on the same NFL team).
Well, facing off with the Vikings in Minnesota, Jeffery hit his biggest dinger of the season in a 23-20 loss. He caught 12 of his 15 targets, for 239 yards and two scores, giving Colby 592 points (618 when adjusted to points inflation). Colby would need nearly all those points, as he pulled out a 101-point victory over Griff (1,540-1,439), to earn the four-seed.
Unfortunately, despite getting another 202 from Jeffery the following week, Colby’s season ended in the quarterfinals, losing to Griff no less.
#14 Austin Miles | Week 5, 2009 Team: Free Agent Receiving: 10 catches, 250 yards Touchdowns: two Fantasy Points: 598 | Adjusted Fantasy Points: 620
Here is the first of a handful of amazing performances that ended up getting wasted, as the player was not starting on someone’s team. Yet, Austin Miles’s week five performance back in 2009 is special, because he is one of only two players in league history to crack 600 fantasy points as a sitting free agent.
Back in those days, no one knew who Austin Miles was. Hell, I was a Cowboys fan and I barely knew about him. Prior to 2009, he played for three seasons in Dallas and caught just 18 balls as a little used backup. Nothing indicated that would change that year, as Austin caught just five balls in the Cowboys’ first four games of 2009.
Yet, on the road against the Chiefs, Dallas caught fire, beating Kansas City, 26-20, thanks in part to Miles’s stunning 10-catch, 250-yard, two score game. In the fourth quarter and overtime of that game, he scored both a 59-yard touchdown and a 60-yard score to win it.
Molly would end up spending $23 to grab Miles off the wire and he would quickly become Tony Romo’s favorite target, producing three more 100-yard games and 8 more scores that year (earning third-team All-Robio). Molly would go on to keep and start the Cowboys receiver for the next two seasons. He finished as the 12th best receiver in 2011, before injuries derailed his career.
#13 Kevin Curtis | Week 3, 2007 Team: Matt Neatock Receiving: 11 catches, 221 yards Touchdowns: three Fantasy Points: 600 | Adjusted Fantasy Points: 622
We all remember Matt’s 2007 squad; the one that featured both Adrian Peterson and Wes Welker. However, as we learned just the other day, with the pick right before Welker, Neatock grabbed another white pair of hands with Kevin Curtis, which made sense, being that he was a Eagles receiver.
Well, Curtis didn’t do much and failed to crack the starting lineup the first two weeks, backing up both Moss’s (Randy and Santana). During those two games, Curtis caught just six balls for 81 total yards and no scores. Yet, in week three, the 0-2 Eagles exploded, crushing the Lions, 56-21. Mr. Curtis led the way, with a career high 11 receptions, 221 yards and three scores, which in today’s dollars would be good enough for 622 fantasy points.
Obviously, Matt wasn’t starting him and he didn’t need to, but oh boy, if he had, he would have produced the greatest scoring game ever. You see, that week Neatock scored 2,338 points in a win over Bob. It proved to be the second most points ever scored in a game. However, if he had Curtis in the game, he would have crushed Masterson’s record 2,501 points.
More fun facts: Matt decided to jump on the Curtis bandwagon and started him in week four over Santana Moss. That proved to be a bad mistake. The Eagles receiver caught just two balls for 21 yards (38 points), helping to lead Matt to a bad, 917-859 loss to David. If he had played Moss, he would have won and not dropped to 1-3 on the season.
In the end though, all things worked out well for Matt. He would eventually cut Curtis in week twelve and as we know, Neatock would go on to winning the championship that year, starting a pair of Patriots (Randy Moss and Wes Welker) at receiver.
#12 Kenny Britt | Week 7, 2010 Team: Molly Coomer Receiving: 7 catches, 225 yards Touchdowns: three Fantasy Points: 616 | Adjusted Fantasy Points: 630
Yep, we have our third straight “oops, it didn’t count” on our list. Kenny Britt was a second-year receiver that Molly drafted in the fifth-round, but he sat behind both Anquan Boldin and Austin Miles. Prior to week seven, he was sort of a touchdown guy (scoring in four straight games), who struggled to add up the yards (he caught over 50 yards in a game just once so far that year).
Yet, when the Titans rolled over the Eagles in week seven, 37-19, Britt played a big part. On just seven catches, he produced 225 yards and three scores, including a 80 yarder in the fourth quarter that gave Tennessee the lead for good.
Unfortunately for Molly, Britt was on her bench and she sure could have used him. She scored the week’s lowest score (881 points) and would have easily beaten her husband at the time, if she had Britt in the starting lineup.
#11 Terrell Owens | Week 13, 2000 Team: Justin Hanright Receiving: 20 catches, 283 yards Rushing: 1 carrie, 5 yards Touchdowns: one Fantasy Points: 594 | Adjusted Fantasy Points: 636
Entering his fifth season in the league, Terrell Owens was stuck living in Jerry Rice’s shadow. He always seemed on the verge of being great, but kept coming up short, only once cracking 1,000 yards in a season. However, 2000 proved to be his breakout season. He would actually finished 7th among all receivers that syear, thanks in part to his stunning week 13 performance.
In a game that you wouldn’t think would feature this kind of receiving performance, the 49ers defeated the Bears, 17-0. In the game, Owens was targeted 22 times and caught 20 0f them for 283 yards, although only scored one time.
Unfortunately for his owner, former league member, Justin Hanright, Owens’s performance came in what was our semifinals and Justin’s season ended the week before, when he lost in the quarterfinals to some guy named Griff.
#10 Andre Johnson | Week 9, 2013 Team: Eric Vozzola Receiving: 9 catches, 229 yards Touchdowns: three Fantasy Points: 620 | Adjusted Fantasy Points: 638
Andre Johnson appears on this list for a second time, becoming the first person in Robioland history to break 600 fantasy points (in today’s scoring) for his career. One season after catching 14 balls for 273 yards and one touchdown, he did some more lighting up in week nine against the Colts.
The Texans didn’t win the game, losing 27-24, but Johnson played no part in that defeat. He caught nine balls (a third were for touchdowns) for 229 yards.
For Eric, it was a much needed boost. He entered the game riding a seven-game losing streak, but Johnson led him to a 1,997-757 victory over Rob Masterson. While the win didn’t turn Eric into a playoff team that year, the 1,240-point margin of victory remains the 8th largest ass-kicking in league history.
#9 Chad Johnson | Week 10, 2006 Team: Griff Coomer Receiving: 11 catches, 260 yards Rushing: 1 carry, 0 yards Touchdowns: two Fantasy Points: 616 | Adjusted Fantasy Points: 640
Heading into the 2006 season, Griff looked stacked coming off his 2005 championship. He had both Shaun Alexander and Larry Johnson back and he managed to draft Chad Johnson with the first pick in the second round. Everything was coming up Griff.
While Alexander actually hit that veteran wall and got hurt, the Johnson boys lived up to their hype. Larry Johnson finished the season as the second best back in football. Meanwhile, Chad Johnson was the league’s top receiver and plenty of that had to do with his week ten performance against the Chargers.
In a 49-41 loss, Johnson was targeted 21 times. He only caught nine of them, but he caught them for 260 yards. Add in his one touchdown and adjusted to today’s scoring, he would have scored 640 fantasy points.
Yet, all the stats weren’t enough for Griff, who dropped a heartbreaking 1,515-1,494 game to Richard Burrier. The defending champ, despite his two 1st-team All-Robio players, finished a disappointing 7-6, getting knocked out of the playoffs in the quarterfinals.
#8 (TIE) Josh Gordon | Week 13, 2013 Team: Rob Masterson Receiving: 10 catches, 261 yards Touchdowns: two Fantasy Points: 622 | Adjusted Fantasy Points: 642
Back in 2013, Josh Gordon was a second-year receiver, coming off a decent rookie campaign, where he caught 50 of 94 targets for over 800 yards and five scores, so when Masterson grabbed him in the 8th round, it looked like a good pick with potential.
Well, Gordon shined, delivering four 100-yard games through eight weeks, sharing starting duties with a variety of receivers on Rob’s team (he traded away his two original starters: Benjamin and Allen). In week 12, in a Steelers loss, Gordon scored 508 points, so Rob was certain to have him in his starting lineup in the season’s final week. Good decision, as the Browns’ receiver dominated the Jaguars. He caught 10 balls for 261 yards and two scores (his second straight 200-yard receiving game). He finished with 622 fantasy points, which would have been 642 in today’s scoring.
The points nearly handed the scoring crown to Masterson. He came up just 63 points shy, after Drew Brees bombed with a 125-point game on Monday night. Still, Rob won eight games, finished second in scoring and in the quarterfinals, he scored over 2,000 in a win over Molly, thanks to a 400+ game by Gordon. Oddly enough, this was the last time Rob won a playoff game.
#8 (TIE) Antonio Brown | Week 9, 2015 Team: Eric Vozzola Receiving: 17 catches, 284 yards Rushing: 2 carries, 22 yards Touchdowns: one Fumble: one Fantasy Points: 642
With the way Antonio Brown has dominated football over the last few years, it’s a bit surprising his name only appears once on this list. Anyhow, in 2015, Eric made the Steelers wideout his top pick in the draft and he didn’t let Eric down, scoring over 3,000 fantasy points, finishing the season as the league’s top receiver.
Of course, it helps when 20% of those stats come in one game. Against the Raiders in week nine, the Steelers pulled out a 38-35 victory, led by Mr. Brown, who caught 17 balls for 284 yards. If you add in his 22 yards rushing, he totaled 306 yards. The only thing that kept him from becoming the second receiver to hit 700 in a game was the fact he scored just one touchdown.
For Eric, Brown’s performance helped him to a third-straight victory, crushing Neatock, 1,991-1,172. The nine regular season wins he would get that year, would be a career high, thanks in part to Brown’s performance.
#7 Drew Bennett | Week 14, 2004 Team: Rich Calderon Receiving: 12 catches, 233 yards Touchdowns: three Fantasy Points: 622 | Adjusted Fantasy Points: 646
Back in 2004, Calderon won nine games in the regular season and reached the semifinals, but he actually struggled really hard at the wide receiver spot.
His second and third round picks and projected starters were Santana Moss and Steve Smith. The former struggled, while the latter was knocked out for the season in week one, thus the wide receiver spot would be a rotating mess all year long.
Moss got the most starts, before he was released in the playoffs. During the year, Calderon added a stunning 11 wide receiver pickups. They were Tyrone Calico, Kenny Colbert (twice), Nate Burleson, Koren Robinson, Ronald Curry, Lee Evans, Doug Gabriel, Deion Branch, Antwaan Randle-El and Muhsin Muhammad. The last one, Muhammad, would have been a stellar pick, as he finished with an All-Robio award that year, but Rich released him in week seven.
On top of all that, Calderon traded for both Ashley Lelie and Roy Williams. In total, Rich had 17 wide receivers on his roster during the season. Yet, oddly enough, when it mattered the most, it was Drew Bennett, a 11th round pick, who had the biggest impact.
The Titans receiver was fine that year. Heading into week thirteen, he had a pair of 100-yard games and only two scores; not what we call championship caliber talent. However, when Billy Volek became a starter in Tennessee (and for Calderon), Bennett took off. Between weeks 13-15, the Titans wideout had 28 catches for 517 yards and eight scores. The best of that bunch came in the middle. In a 49-38 loss to the Chiefs that week, Bennett caught 12 balls for 233 yards and three scores. He produced 622 points (646 in today’s dollars).
As for his impact on Rich, I don’t know for sure. Bennett is the only player I can’t completely verify if he was starting for Rich or on his bench during this game. I believe he wasn’t, as Rich waited two games before finally putting him in his starting lineup. Calderon was shuffling his lineup so much, it’s hard to figure out. I know he had Bennett in his starting lineup in the playoffs. Perhaps Rich remembers more than me. Anyhow, either way, the Manhattan Projects did win that week, sneaking past Masterson, 1,178-1,101.
#6 Lee Evans | Week 11, 2006 Team: Molly Coomer Receiving: 11 catches, 265 yards Touchdowns: two Fantasy Points: 628 | Adjusted Fantasy Points: 650
Drafted in the fifth-round by Molly, Lee Evans produced his career year, with 82 catches, for nearly 1,300 yards and eight scores. The highlight was this 628-point effort (650 in today’s scoring). In a tight 24-21 win by the Bills over the Texans, Lil’ Evans caught 11 of 16 targets for 265 yards and two scores. Fun fact: 514 of those 628 fantasy points came in the first quarter, thanks to a pair of 83-yard touchdowns.
Oddly enough, Molly needed every point Evans gave her, as she escaped with a low scoring, 1,179-1,121 victory over Masterson. That would jumpstart a three-game winning streak to end the season, securing 10 wins on the year, a 6-0 record in the division and a two-seed.
#5 Julio Jones | Week 12, 2017 Team: Bob Castrone Receiving: 12 catches, 253 yards Rushing: 1 carry, 15 yards Touchdowns: two Fantasy Points: 656
It’s time to enter the Julio Jones section of this list. First up, last year’s week 12 performance. Prior to that week, Bob’s first-round keeper was looking sluggish. On the season, he had produced just one 100-yard game (week two) and scored only one touchdown. That’s not good for a projected first-team All-Robio player.
However, in week 12 against the Buccaneers, Julio exploded, catching 12 of 15 target for 253 yards and two scores. He also added in 15 yards rushing on one carry. Bob would go on to defeat Calderon that week, 1,516-1,115.
Strangely enough, this win improved Bob’s record to 9-1 on the year, but it was actually the first time he broke 1,500 points. As for Julio, he would earn second-team All-Robio in 2017, but week 12 had a lot to do with it. In fact, 28% of his points scored that year came from this one game.
#4 Julio Jones | Week 4, 2016 Team: Matt Neatock Receiving: 12 catches, 300 yards Touchdowns: one Fantasy Points: 660
Yep, back-to-back Julio Jones on this list. One season before he rocked out 656 fantasy points for Bob, he was delivering 660 points for Neatock. Heading into the week four matchup against the Panthers, a big game from Julio was no guarantee. The week before, against one of the NFL’s worst defenses, he caught just one ball for 17 yards.
Well, he had some making up to do. In week four, Jones caught 12 of 15 passes for 300 yards and one score in a 48-33 Falcons’ victory. He caught the games first three passes for 51 yards. He had 94 yards by the end of the first quarter, adding another 102 in the second. He caught five more balls in the third, but was held to just one catch in the fourth quarter. Of course, that one catch was a 75-yard touchdown, so there’s that.
The 660 fantasy points scored by Julio wasn’t enough to propel Matt to victory, as he fell to the future champion of that season, Calderon, 2,079-1,474. However, after this game, Matt decided to sell high and shipped Julio away for basically Todd Gurley. And we all know how that turned out in 2017.
Fun Fact: Calderon was the unlucky soul who played opposite Julio’s two biggest performances.
#3 Calvin Johnson | Week 8, 2013 Team: Don Vozzola Receiving: 14 catches, 329 yards Touchdowns: one Fumble: one Fantasy Points: 650 | Adjusted Fantasy Points: 678
Arguable the least surprising name on this list. Coming into the 2013 season, Megatron was the king of all receivers. He had been an All-Robio for three straight seasons, including first-team the last two years. After riding with Calderon for a while as a stud keeper, Johnson was back in the pool and Don grabbed him with the second overall pick.
It worked out well for him, as the Lions wideout would earn a third-straight 1st-team All-Robio. Of course, it helps to have games like he did in week eight. Facing the Dallas Cowboys at home, Johnson was unstoppable in a Lions’ 31-30 victory. He actually didn’t catch his first ball until the 3:21 mark in the first quarter. Of course it was a 87-yard reception.
His 329 yards receiving are a NFL record, but let’s face it, his 650/678 points could have been better for two reasons. A) He fumbled, which cost him -45 back then (-30 today). He also only scored once on a two-yard touchdown in the first. If he scores one more time and doesn’t fumble, it’s the greatest fantasy day by a receiver ever.
Anyhow, Don enjoyed what he got, crushing Burrier, 1,896-867. Unfortunately, that victory ended a five-game losing streak. Don, despite having the league’s top receiver, would record just four wins, missing out on the postseason for a second straight year.
#2 QADRY ISMAIL | Week 14, 1999 Team: Free Agent Receiving: 6 catches, 258 yards Touchdowns: three Fantasy Points: 684 | Adjusted Fantasy Points: 696
Okay, now we’re going old school. The Rocket was a stud in college, but other than special teams, he was sort of a nobody in fantasy. In fact, prior to 1999, he caught no balls, struggling to stay healthy. In our first ever draft, he went undrafted and no one bothered to pick him up, even after he had his best game of the year in week 13, catching six balls for 113 yards. Fact is, no one believed in the Ravens wide receiver.
Well, maybe we should have. Against the Steelers in what would be our last regular season game, Ismail turned six catches into 258 yards and three scores. All three touchdowns (54 yards, 59 yards and 76 yards) came in the third quarter. In fact, his 592 fantasy points in that one quarter, is a fantasy high, no matter what the position.
Sadly, no one got to enjoy that record on their fantasy team.
#1 Jimmy Smith | Week 2, 2000 Team: Rick Mullin Receiving: 15 catches, 291 yards Touchdowns: three Fantasy Points: 732 | Adjusted Fantasy Points: 762
Back in 2000, the Jaguars’ Jimmy Smith was one of the best wide receivers in the league and that year would play for the best fantasy team of the season (Rick Mullin). Wasting no time, Smith would produce the greatest fantasy game by a wide receiver ever in week two.
In what would prove to be a 39-36 loss to the Ravens in Baltimore, Smith would start the game hot, scoring two 40+ yard touchdowns, producing 356 fantasy points in the first quarter. In quarter two, he would add 130 more with six more receptions. In the third, the Ravens held Smith to one catch and 11 yards (20 points), but Smith would catch four more balls in the fourth (including another 40-yard touchdown), adding another 226 fantasy points.
He would finish the game as the only receiver in league history to break 700, scoring 732 fantasy points, which would have been 762 in today’s scoring (more than a touchdown better than the next guy).
Rick would take those 700+ points and convert it into a solid 1,581-670 victory over the league’s worst ever team. With Jimmy Smith along for the ride, Rick would earn the top seed with 11 wins, before falling to Griff in the semifinals.
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